JUST BEEN GIFTED THIS........

[DuncaninFrance]

I shan't get my hands on it until April 5th so I have no idea what it is but from looking at Skennerton's it could be a Skeleton SMLE Mk:III

Mine is the one at the top!. Needs some TLC

[Niner]

Certainly not something that you would see everyday. As a cutaway exhibit for instructional purposes it's probably pretty rare wouldn't you think?

[DuncaninFrance]

I would think mostly in Museums. A quick look around the net showed none for sale.
Price, if available would be around £500 I think...

[Niner Delta]

Never seen one of those before, very interesting. Clean that thing up and take it to the range, that would
be a real hoot. ..

.

[Aughnanure]

That’s the fully sectioned version, every function can be seen and studied.
We used them in Armourers’ schools.
Even more interesting though less handy is the full rifle version.
We also had Vickers and Brent’s that were similarly sectioned and in the Training Centre Museum there was a Mk6 Webley that had been done.
All highly collectible.

[Niner]

Looks like the gift has a magazine cut off... even though somewhat buggered. That would make it early WWI vintage, right?

[DuncaninFrance]

Yes, a Mk.III not a Mark.III*
The Mk.III was introduced on 27th January 1907. The Mk.III* was issued from 1916.so this is at least 110 years old.

Having done some serious research I intend to de rust the parts using Electrolysis which should leave the remaining metal undamaged. I am currently building a tank after looking around YouTube.

Progress pics will be uploaded as and when................

[Aughnanure]

Looks like the gift has a magazine cut off... even though somewhat buggered. That would make it early WWI vintage, right?

Not necessarily [but highly likely] Lithgow reintroduced cutoffs for a short while just prior to WWII, I’ve seen a couple of unused ones in private collections.

[Aughnanure]

Looks like the gift has a magazine cut off... even though somewhat buggered. That would make it early WWI vintage, right?

Not necessarily [but highly likely] Lithgow reintroduced cutoffs for a short while just prior to WWII, I’ve seen a couple of unused ones in private collections.
Some also have the butt further done, showing the oil bottle and the pull through and the stock bolt head and washer.

[Aughnanure]

Looks like the gift has a magazine cut off... even though somewhat buggered. That would make it early WWI vintage, right?

Not necessarily [but highly likely] Lithgow reintroduced cutoffs for a short while just prior to WWII, I’ve seen a couple of unused ones in private collections.
Some also have the butt further done, showing the oil bottle and the pull through and the stock bolt head and washer.

Dunno what happened there.